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COLUMBUS (Tuesday, December 22, 2009) - As Ohioans prepare to head ‘over the river and through the woods’ for the upcoming holidays, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be keeping a close watch over winter weather conditions forecasted for much of the state.

To keep you ‘jingling all the way’ to your destination, work has been scaled back at most of the state’s ongoing highway construction zones, with as many lanes open as possible to allow for the most amount of traffic.

The American Automotive Association (AAA) expects 87.7 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles away from home between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3, with nearly 78 million of that number driving to their destinations.

Projects currently under construction that could impact holiday travel include:

·U.S. 24 in Lucas and Henrycounties – is reduced to one lane in each direction from I-475 to Dutch Rd. as part of the major construction of a newly aligned four-lane divided highway on U.S. 24, from Toledo to Napoleon. While permanent work zone restrictions remain in place, work will be suspended over the holiday.

·Interstate 77, Cuyahoga County-Crews have shifted traffic away from the center median wall along I-77 north and southbound between Wallings and Rockside roads. Bridge work continues in the areas of Rockside and Pleasant Valley roads. Permanent work zone restrictions remain in place over the holiday.

·I-75 in Montgomery County - Southbound I-75 through downtown Dayton, has various lane restrictions as part of the realignment of I-75 from Stanley Ave. to Main St. The Keowee and Leo St. ramps will permanently close to traffic.All detours are posted.

‘Dashing through the snow’ is never a good idea. ODOT’s advice: in Ice and Snow…Take it Slow.

During the Christmas holiday weekend of 2008, Ohio had 2,856 crashes and 11 fatalities on its highways with another 2,544 collisions and 10 fatalities the following New Year’s.

As a reminder, ODOT’s premier website, www.BuckeyeTraffic.org, offers up-to-the-minute information and a user-friendly map on work zone locations, traffic congestion alerts, road closures, weather conditions, and Highway Patrol accident updates; all available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Also to give motorists updated information before they leave their home or office, ODOT now sends “tweets” - the short, bite-sized updates sent via Twitter.com - when icy or snowy conditions impact travel along interstates andhighways in Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo or when a winter-related accident causes major traffic delays. Sign up to receive tweets at www.BuckeyeTraffic.org/Twitter.